A criminal conviction is a permanent stain that can hurt your reputation and your opportunities every time someone runs a background check on your name. Background checks are commonly used for job applications, housing applications, professional licenses, loans, education facilities, immigration applications, filing for citizenship and other opportunities.
If you have been convicted of a crime in Illinois, you may be entitled to appeal for post conviction relief. Whether your conviction was a mistake, for a crime that you committed as a minor or if you have changed your life and need a new start, a post-conviction relief attorney can help you determine if you qualify for post-conviction relief, and to appeal for a post-conviction hearing. Under the Illinois Post-Conviction Hearing Act, you may seek a new trial, correct sentencing errors or request a pardon. The Illinois courts are not required to hear your appeal. An experienced post conviction relief attorney can evaluate the facts surrounding your case and your best opportunity to qualify for an appeal.
Common post-conviction relief appeals include:
Reduction of Charges
Reduce a felony conviction to a misdemeanor
Vacate Plea of Guilty
If your constitutional rights were violated during a plea then you may request to vacate that plea and finding of guilty
Sentence Modification
Change the sentence to a lower sentence that does not disqualify you from certain opportunities such as immigration visas
There are strict time limits for requesting post-conviction relief; if you miss the filing deadlines you may miss your opportunity to apply for. If new facts about your case become available, you may qualify for an appeal even if the deadlines have passed. An experienced Illinois post-conviction and criminal defense attorney can evaluate the facts surrounding your case and whether you qualify for an appeal.
If you have questions regarding a criminal conviction and post-conviction relief for you or a loved one who was convicted of a crime, contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Godoy Law Office at 855-554-6369.
Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties.
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Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy has years of experience guiding clients with immigration issues through the immigration process along with guiding clients through the criminal case. Godoy focuses on family-based immigration law, business immigration law, removal defense, and criminal defense representation of immigrants. A criminal charge or conviction can be devastating to your immigration case. With over a decade of immigration law experience and memories of family members who were deported due to bad legal advice, Godoy is committed to helping other immigrant families receive the legal justice they deserve. As a legal entrepreneur who practices immigration law, criminal law, estate and probate law, and running two successful law firms, Mario Godoy understands the importance of keeping families together and making a home and future in America.
